Means for classifying biformed alphabet



G. FABYAN. MEANS FOR CLASSIFYING BIFORMED ALPHABET.

2 SHEE1S-SHEET l.

Geoiyef y 'z' y jy%% G. FABYAN. MEANS FOR CLASSIFYING BIFORMED ALPHABET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1917- 1,390,027 Patentedsept. 6, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- MEL. 1

GEORGE FABYAN, O13 GENEVA, ILLINOIS.

Means non cnassrrszrne srronnnn arrears r.

Application filed May 10,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonsn FABYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Means for Classifying Biformed Alphabet; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel device for classifying the letters of the alphabet or other characters of two or more series wherein the individual letters or characters of each series are so formed or written, or arranged at such angles as to closely follow a prescribed style which generally characterizes the individual letters or characters of one series, but which differentiate the same from the individual letters or characters of the other series. More specificallysaid de vice has been designed for classifying a biformed alphabet such as was used by many writers and printers in the seventeenth century in the composition'a-nd infolding of what is known as bi-literal ciphers-(n example of such ciphers being that used by Sir Francis Bacon and described in his De Augmcntis Scientiarum.

It has been demonstrated that many writers at about the period mentioned employed a bi-t'ormed alphabet and arranged them in such a permutative code. that combinations of the two forms of letters could be used to represent the several letters of the alphabet, so that by the use of such combinations a message or narrative could be concealed in a running text which could only be deciphered by those acquainted with the cipher.

The said bi-tormed alphabet is classified as a-t'orm and b-torm, all of the letters of the a-form bearing certain distinguishing characteristics which distinguish them from the b-form, this applying to both the upper case and lower case letters. i

It has also been demonstrated that while individual letters of one form, in the last analysis, can with certainty be distinguished from those of the other form, yet, because of careless typographical work or, perhaps, with intent on the part of the author to render the concealed matter less easy to decipher, the characteristic contours or angles of a given form may so depart from the pre- Specification of Letters Patent.

FatentedSept, 6, 1921.

1917. SerialNo. 167,738.

scribed typical or average contour or angle as to make it uncertain whether a given individual letter belongs to one form or to the other. Therefore it becomes difficult for a person by the use of the eye alone to classify the forms so as to give the letters their proper values.- Q

It is the purpose of this invention to provide an instrument or a combination or elements bywhich to aid the eye in determining whether. a given letter belongsto one form or to the other. This may be attained by the use of either one or both. of two instrumentalities, one of which is termed a classifier, and the other a templet. For some purposes either instrument may be used aloneand for other and more critical examination both instruments may be used together.

A templet embodying my invention comprises a thin flat transparent sheet, )refen ably made of celluloid, which bears a plurality o'l' ruled sets ofcross-lines, with the lines of each set parallel to each other and with the lines of the two sets disposed at angles to each other and at graduated CllS- tances apart designed to afford different widths of the spaces included between any two parallel lines. By placing the transparent ruled sheet over an undetermined letter and squaring the sheet with respect to the page in which the letter is printed, the ruled lines may be made to so bisect any letter, both in horizontal andvertical directions, as will also show the amount of curvature and angle of any part'ofr' the whole more clearly than is apparent to the unaided eye.

In addition to the simple form of templet briefly referred to, I may superpose on'the transparent ruled sheet a disk which is centrally pivoted to one half of the sheet, as a base, to rotate thereover. The said disk is also made of transparent material, as celluexamination or to accurately determine its slant or angle.

The use of the templet enables the user intelligently 'to compare the structure and angle of the letter with typical letters of V I both the a-form and b-form, by comparatively dissecting both formswith the templet, and .thereby determine to which form the letterunder examination belongs. The said templetlmay be used with or without the classifier, but for critical analysis of a letter, the combinationv of the classifier and the templet produces the most accurate re- Stilts. I V

The classifier comprises a sheetpreferably ofstiff cardboard-on which is printed in two rows the two forms of the alphabet with the respective letters of each form as- I of the sembled in one'row, and those of the other 'form' in another row. Between the rows of letters representing the two forms of the alphabet is a slot cut horizontally in -the sheet ofa size suflicient to expose one line printed page'represented by the alphabets, and extends the length of and is parallel to therows of letters. One of such rows of'letters is printed above andthe other below such slot or, with the slot. cut vertically instead ofhorizontally one row of let-- ters is printed on the left, and the other on V the right ofsuch slot.

The letters of one row are what have been determined by careful analysis and classification to .be the average or typical letters of the a-form of the alphabet,and the letters of the other row are likewise average or typical letters of the b-form ofthe alphabet.

When there is doubt as to whichform a given letter belongs, the classifier is placed over the page on which the letter is printed 'andis adjusted so that the particular letter tobe inspected registers in the slot of the classifier between the two like letters of the two forms. In many cases this registration of theletter with those of the classifier is sufiicient to enable a person to determine to which form the particular letter belongs. However, in other cases the distinction between the letter under examination and the letter of'the classifier at either side of the slot is so slight that the unaided eye can not accurately determine the classification. In such instance the templetis placed over the classifier while the latter still. rests on the page and,.by the use of the intersecting lines of the superposed templet, the letter .under examination is further dissected withrespect to contour and examined with respect to angle so that when compared to similarly dissected and inspected typical letters of the two forms, its classification may be accu rately determined. 'In order to square the templet on the classifier, the classifier is preferably provided at its margins" with secvided with through which the undetermined letter is to tional ruling which is graduated by the same system, preferably the metric system, as are thelines of the templet.

In the drawings is shown a form ofclassifier and templet which has been practically used in determining the identity of a biformed alphabet, and in the following description, specific reference will be had to the particular design therein shown. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to this specific design in its broader aspect.

. As shown in the drawings Figure 1 illustrates the classifier.

Fig. 2 illustrates the base of the templet.

Fig. 3 illustrates the complete templet.

Fig. 4: illustrates the rotating disk of the templet,

Figs. '5, 6 and 7 are details illustrating specific uses of the templet.

As shown insaid drawings 10 designates the classifier. It'may be made ofany suitable material, preferably opaque, and is proa'central longitudinal slot 11,

be exhibited. :At the sides of: the slot are arranged two rows of the letters of the biformed alphabet, the row 12 being the aform of alphabet and the row 18 being the bform. The said sheet is provided at its sides and end marginal areas with section lines 14 and 141, respectively, by which to square the templet thereon, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The slot 11 constitutes a window through which a line of printing may be observed, and, so far as this function is concerned, the window or transparent area may be otherwise made.

- Referring to F igsf2 and 3, 15 designates the flat rectangular sheet or base of the templet and 16 designates the rotating disk superposed. over one end of the base, and in the complete device is: rotatively connected thereto by a pivot 17. The said disk is also made of a transparent material. The said base is ruled at its'right hand end A to provide a' central group of closely spaced parallel lines 18, and above and below such group with single lines 19 and double parallel lines 20; the said single lines beingspaced from each other and from the central group and the double parallel lines at varying distances apart so as to thereby provide varying areas through which to exhibit the letters. These lines, 18,19and 20 are intersected at right angles by cross lines 21, 22, the latter ar-' ranged in groups of a plurality in each group.

areas 27, 28, 29 and 30. The ar a 27 i 090w unequal square pied by a closely graduated quadrant 31, which is eccentric to the area inclosed by the lines 23 is to be used in conjunction with lines on the disk to mechanically determine the slant of a letter or a portion of a letter. In thearea29 of the base is a second quadrant 32 which is divided into sectors of five degrees by lines radiating from thecenter pivot 17. The two remaining areas 28 and of the square 23 are occupied respectively by a set of squares 33 and concentric circles 34:. These figures may be of otherfgeometric designs. The groups or hands of lines 25, 26 on the base intersect at one side of the center of the axis of rotation of the disk.

On the disk 16 is a set of lines 35 so di posed, with respect to the center thereof and to the lines of the quadrants, that as, the disk is rotated eachline on said disk, passing through the point U, will subtend on the area 27 a definite angle, beginning with one of 10 degrees and increasing regularly to r then the templet should be one of 60 degrees; 27 a definite angle, beginning with one of ten degrees and increasing regularly to one of sixty degrees, said lines 35 being principally non-radial to the center of the disk 16. i j

In Fig. 5 is indicated more clearly the manner of using the simple form. of the templet at the right hand end of the base or sheet. As therein shown the right hand end of the base may be assumed to be placed over three letters in the relation in which they would appear if an undetermined letter be exhibited through the slot of the classifier and between like typical letters of the a-form and b-form. The lines which cross each other at right angles enable the student to bisect the letters both horizontally and vertically and will show the direction and amount of curvature in all parts of the letters more clearly than is apparent to the unaided eye.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated the manner of employing the intersecting groups or bands of lines 25 and 26 at the left hand end of the base or sheet and the lines 35 on the superposed disk to determine the slant of a letter and different parts thereof under inspection.

In this use of the device the templet is letter with the base of the placed over the the angles of the intersectletter at one of ing group.

The determination of the slant of a letter will resolve itself into a search for the one line 35 which will meet the requirement of a i nine the slant of, say, the lower case italic it. If it be agreed that the slant of the particular form of hin question is determined by the angle made by a line passing through the longitudinal axis of the stem of the letter with the perpendicular erected upon the line upon whichi the given letter stands, applied so that iven test. Assuming it is desired to deter the letter occupies the position indicated in said Fig. 6, with the line D'E coinciding with the base line of the letter under examination. The disk is then rotated until a line 35 on it will pass through the point C at said base line and will at the same time pass through the longitudinal axis of the stem. Then by observing, by the aid of the graduations of the quadrant 31 on the area 27, the angle which this line makes with the line 25 that'passes through the point (3, the degree of the slant of the letter with respect to theperpendicular will be determined. If it be desired to determine the angle which the loop orright hand part of the letter makes with the stem, without moving the templet, the disk is revolved until a line 35 is found which will bisect the loop, as indicated in said Fig. 6, and,by referring to the quadrant scale, the difference between the two readings will give" the angle which the loop makes with respect to the stem of the letter. It has beenfound that this is a point of considerable importance in studying letters. A

The lines of the quadrant 32 are useful in studying or comparing such letters as the lower case italic e, as shown in Fig. 7. For instance, if a light pencil line be extended from the end of thebasal upstroke of the letter 6 in the direction in which it seems to be tending and the templet be applied so that one of the lines of the quadrant 32 bisects the loop of the letter in the direction of the major axis of the loop and in a manner to divide the loop into two equal parts, and if the pencil line and the line thus found on the quadrant 32 intersect above or below, the

letter may be classified as an a-form. If,

however, the two lines are parallel then the letter may be safely classified as b-form.

The squares and circles 33, 34 respectively are designed to aid in the dissection of large letters into their constituent units, as will be understood by lettering experts and typographers who understand the principles upon which the construction of alphabets is based.

By applying the different methods of dissecting the letters and of determining the angles thereof, as above described, all chances of error which might result by the use of the eye alone will practically be ex cluded.

I claim as my invention:

1. A templet for classifying bi-formed alphabet comprising a ruled transparent base and a transparent disk superposed over and rotatively mounted on said base and provided with a series of lines extending from its circumference inwardly and non-radial to the center of the disk.

2. A templet for classifying bi-formed alphabet comprising a transparent base provided with straight and curved lines and a i transparent disk rotatively mounted on the base and provided with lines which, by roquadrant and a transparent disk rotatively mounted on said base and bearing a series of lines so arranged that, as the disk is rotated, said 'lines of the disk, passing 7 through a point on the base, will make on saidarea a definite angle to a fixed line passing through said point,beginning with one at a given degree and increasing to a higher egree.

4. A bi-formed alphabet classifying templet comprising a transparent base, and a transparent disk rotatively mounted there on, the base beneath said disk being provided with a graduated quadrant eccentric to the axis of rotation of the disk and the disk being marked with lines which are" nonradial to said axis of rotation. 1

5. A bi-rformed alphabet classifying templet comprising a transparent base, and a transparent disk, said base being provided With a graduated quadrant eccentric to the axis of rotation of the disk and the disk being marked with lines, some of which are radial to saidaxis of rotation and the others of which are non-radial to said axis ofrotation. 7

6. A bi-forrned alphabet classifying templet comprising atransparent base, and a transparent disk rotatively mounted thereon, the base beneath said disk being provided With, a graduating quadrant concentric to the axis of rotation of said disk and the disk 7 being provided with lines which are non with geometric figures one within the other,

and the disk bearing lines which spring from the central portion of the disk and are nonradial to said center. v

8. A templet for classifying .bi-formed alphabet comprising a transparent base provided with two sets of closely spaced intersecting lines and a disk mounted on said base to rotate on an axis eccentric to the point of intersection of said sets of lines and bearing a set of lines which spring from the central portion of said disk andare nonradial to said center. p o i 9. A templet for classifying bi-forrned alphabet comprising'a transparent base having thereon two groups of closely spaced lines v that cross each other on said base, with the lines in each group parallel to eachother,

and a transparent disk mounted to rotate on an axis on the base at one side of the area on which said groups cross, and, having lines thereon that cross said lineson the base. i i

In Witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention. I heretoappendmy signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 23rd day of April, 1917.

GEORGEFABYAN.

Witnesses:

E. G. ROGERS, J. A. BARRY. 

